Combination water feeder and overflow device



Jan. 1, 1935. H MAYER COMBINATION WATER FEEDER AND OVERFLOW DEVICE Filed March 1, 1932 MMMML 50/45? W475? ZEVEL. i

HI? W475)? 1. Enz.

Patented Jan. 1, 1935 I COMBINATIONWATER FEEDER AND OVER- y FLOW-DEVICE i Frank H. Mayer; Weehawken N. J., assignor to i 'Kieley & Mueller Inc., New York, N. Y.

1 Application Miami, 1932, Serial No".59fl,115 6 Claims A (01. 137-101) My invention relates to a combination water feeder and overflow device and-has for its particular object the provision of a combination device of this characterfor heating systemsand 3,6 the like and particularly those known as vacuum orsuction systems. i a r i v t 1 i My invention is of broad application, and is applicable for use with many types of water systems, but has been shown herein for illustrative purposes only in connection with a simple heating system such as is -commonly used for dwellings and the like and whereina boiler is provided for generationof steam forpa ssage tot the various heating units. l i An important object of. my invention lies i'n the provision of means for automatically maintaining a constant water level in the boiler of the unit both by controlling the water supply to'flll the boiler to a predetermined level and by controlling automatically a discharge passage whereby to lower the level of the waterin; case it gets too high. i A further object of. a mechanism for such control, :which is opera- 25 tive and effective under conditions of vacuum used in many heating systems. v

Another object of my invention lies inthe provision of a novel overflow device provided with valve operating means operable under either conditions of vacuum or. pressure. i l

Other, objects and advantages in details of construction will be apparent as the description pro- 'ceeds, reference now being had to the figures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of 35 this application andiwherein like reference numerals indicate like parts. I

Inthedrawing: i C t M Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of myyimproved combination water feeder and overflow device: l p l w i v Figure ;2 is a somewhat diagrammatical view illustrating the relation of myiinvention' to a typical boiler. l l i Figure 3 is adetail sectionalview showing the arrangement of thepassageways 41" and 42 in the .valve: casing in the overflow device.

, Referring generally to Figure 2; the-reference character 1 indicates a, boiler of any'conventional design or construction and whichhas not been illustrated in detail asit forms no part .of this invention. Suflice it to say that the boiler is supplied with the usual water chamberj and heating device therefor bymeans of which steam may be generated thereinfor passage outwardly to myinvention is to provide theflvarious heating elements such as radiators andthe like. v v a v r The pipe 2 may constitute themain source of water supply for the boiler 1, communicating with such boiler through the pipes 3, .4; 5, 6, and 7, andautomatically controlled at the point where it communicates with the waterfeeder byf'mechain such systems. i l

The .pipelOconnectsthe boiler 1 and thewater feedingcasing 8 andactsas awaterlevel equalizer between these units,the levelof the water in the boiler and in thewater feeding casing being registered by the gauge 11. The pipe 12 connects the upper ends of the boiler 1 and thehwater feeder 8 and serves as asteam'equalizer and is also common construction and practice.

Referring nowjparticularly to. Figure 1' of the" drawing, it will be noted that within the water feeder casing 8 there isprovided a float 13 adapted to raise and lower within the casing with. the level of the watertherein. This float 13 isfpivotally connected at its lower end by means of the link 14 to one end of a link 15, pivoted intermediate its ends as at 16 to one arm of a bracket 17. The opposite end of the link is pivotally connected to ,a link 18 also pivotally connected .at its opposite end with a link 19 substantially parallel with the link 15, which link 19 is pivoted at its opposite end as at 20 to another arml2l of the bracket 1'7. Suitably secured asat 22 to the link 19 is one end ofa vertically disposed valve stem 23,- the lowerend. of which" is provided with a valve 24 cooperating with a valve'seat and passage- 25 which communicates 'on: one side with the water supply pipes 4; 3, andi2 and on the opposite side with thepipes 5, 6 and 7. The bottomizo of the water feeder 8 is preferably secured in positionby means of the bolts 27 andis provided with the depending casting or valve housing 28 within which the valve 24 is disposed and through which the passageways communicating with the valve seat and passage 25 are provided. 'The passageways into and out of this valve casing? are threaded. as at-29 to receive the ends of thepipes 4 and5. The valve stem 23 issupported and guided in its vertical movement by means of an elongated bearing 30 suitably threaded as at 81 through an opening in the bottom member 26; shown clearly in -Figure. 1,the bracket 171s supported upon this bearing 30. l

l In operation it will be obvious that ifthe wate level in the water feeder casing 8, and consequentor desired level, the float 13 will be lowered and this movement through the links 14, 15, 18 and 19 causes the valve stem 23 to be raised, thus opening the valve 24 and permitting the water to pass through the valve casing 28 into the boiler, the level'of which equalizes in the water feeder casing 8 by means of'. the-,;pipe 10. Obviously when-the Dredeterminedlevel ofa-the water has again been reached the float in raising to such level, again through the links 14, to 19 inclusive, causesz the valve stem and valve 24 to again be lowered against the valve seat andthus stops thejfur ther passage of water into the boiler.

One side of the water feeding',-casing 8:is;,provided with the threaded outletson-passageways 32 to receive the fittings for the level gauge 11. The upper end of the casing 8 is 'also'provide'd with'a threaded outlet 33 to receive the fittingforthe pipe 12.

Cane iwaterifeederscasing 3 is aprovided on :the

side opposite the water gauge 11, with a spaced 'ifiangedsextension;portion.34 :secured to -which, as .ihyathe iflangei35 and bolts-36, is :the'ioverflow delviceicasing. 37. c c a a 20h the interior of :the overflow casing 37 and secured to the flanged portion $4, independently ofithegnasingfitas :by the bolts 38,'-is:a' supporting zmember.39aprovidedzadjacent itstop with-a pref-- iflliaiblylcastintegral casing 40 provided with independent cores or passageways 41-and 42 suitably sseparatedas by means of 1 the partition l 43. The passageway 41 communicates :with a similar pasesagewaye i-formediinu-theextension 34, the-latter gpassagewaycommunicatingwith the atmosphere zthrou'gh a vent 45 von SUChiBXtEI'ISi'OH. The paszsageway 42 :communicates with a passageway -46 5 through the flanged extension '34 with an outlet passage 49 to which is connected the discharge pipe150 (see Figure'2) Seemed within the overflow casing 3-7, to'the supporting member :39 and between the housings 40 and 47, as by the. bolts 51, is a; bracket52. Pivoted on this bracket 52 as at 53, is a-bell crank 54, 0116 end'of which is provided with oppositely inclinedsurfaces55and 56 joiningin an apex '57. The .oppositee'nd' of the bell crank 54'is provided withwthe slot .58 within which engages a ypinj59 carried by a vertically disposed valve stem 60,

- the upper endof which is provided with a valve 6.1, cooperating with a suitable valve seat and opening in the housing 40 and communicating with the air passageway 41. The lower end of the valve stem '60 is also provided with a valve 62 oooperating'with a suitable valve seat and opening-in "the housing 47 and communicating with thedischarge passageway 48. These valves are so arranged that when the valve stem is in its uppermost position, the air passageway 41 is closed to the interior of the overflow'casing 37 and the discharge passageway 48 is likewise closed from ltheinterior of theoverflow casing. When,

however, the valve stem 60 is lowered, the air passageway and the water discharge passageway are both opened to communicate with the interior of the overflow housing 37.

Adjacent the upper end of the valve stem 60 and below the valvefil thereon, there is pivoted to the valve stem, as at 63, one end of a link 64 pivoted intermediate its ends as at 6-5:to a supporting lug 66 carried .upon theLcasing40. The-opposite end of the link 64 is pivoted to a valve stem 6'7 rscazrrying a valve 68 adapted to cooperate with a valve seat and opening in the casing 40 and communicating with thewater passage 42 thereof. It will be clear that when the valve stem 60 is raised .iaszshownin Figure -l, the valve 68 is opened so :as .toadmit wateriflowing from the water feeding casingl8 through the passages 46 and 42 into the overflow casing'37. When the valve stem 60 is loweredgithe valve 68 will close such passage and prevent the flow of ater into the overflow cas- .in '=;37 7

- Pivoted to the'bracket 52as arcs ;is -an--elongated arm "to secured to-the opposite"end o fwhich is the float 'll within the overflow casing 37. The endof this arm 70,-adjacent its pivot point '69, carries an upwardly extended lug 72 having a piv- -otal connection as at 73 with one end of'a link 74,

the opposite end of which carries a roller "75 engageable-with one or the other'of the inclined-surfaces 55'and 56'on-the bell crank 54, Suitably connected to the link 74 andsubstan- 'tially centrally thereof, is a -'downwardly*extending link 76, the lower end *of which has secured thereto, one end of a coil spring '77, the opposite end-of which is anchored as at 78 to an anchor -pin' 79 rigidly secured in the casing '47. "These ends'normally exert a strong downward pull upon the link "74 and consequently upon the inclined 'surfaced en'd' of the 'bell crank 54. The inclined surfaces 55 and 56 got this bell crank are-so-disposed with're'spect to the pivot point 53 thereof,

that when the roller 75 of the link '74, engages th'e pivot 53, thus raising the opposite end thereof and simultaneously raising the valve stem 60 whereby to close the valvesGl-and 62, an'd open the valve 68. This 'is the normal position of these parts. If, however, the water level in theboiler 1 and consequently in the waterffeeding casing-8, should v rise above its predetermined point, due perhaps with it the arm 70 and thus tendingto rock the lug '72 on such arm to the right in Figure 1. This movement exerts a pull to the right on the link 74 and causes the roller 75 to ride" up over the inclined surface 55 and over the apex 57*on to the inclined surface 56 of such bell crank, inwhich position the spring 7'7, exerting its downward pull or tension, causes such roller to rock the bell crank '54 on its pivot to the left in Figure 1, and thus causing the valve stem 60 to .be moved downwardly, resultingin opening the valve 61 to the atmosphere passage and opening the valve 62 to the discharge passage and simultaneously closing the valve 68 and preventing the flow of any more water into the overflow casing.

7 'It will be understood that when this device is connected with a heating system using suction or a partial vacuum as the circulating force, such suction or partial vacuum exists in the casings 8 and 3'7. Consequently with the opening of the valve 61, to the air passage and admitting atmospheric pressure into the casing 37, the accumulated water therein is permitted to run out through the discharge passages 48 and 49. When the casing 37 has thus been emptied the float 71 naturally resumes its lowermost position as shown in Figure 1 and in moving back to such position, again rocks the arm 70 and the lug '12 which again forces the link '74 to the left in Figure 1,

causing its roller 75 to ride up over the inclined and 46.

In this way the overflow of water, caused by an excess return of condensed steam, is taken care of and discharged. These parts all act automatically and'require no attention beyond an occasional cleaning and adjustment.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the same parts herein described function equally well when used with a heating system which utilizes pressure instead of vacuum as the circulating agency. The spring controlled valve action provided'herein, however, renders the i device particularly adaptable for vacuum systems.

7 Of course, changesmay be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

I claim: I I I I. i

1. In combination with a boiler, an automatic water feeder operatively connected therewith, a casing for said feeder provided with an extension, an overflow control device communicating with said feeder and secured to said extension, a discharge passage formed in said device and said extension, a valve controlling said passage, and float controlled means for forcibly operating said valve. I

2. In combination with a boiler, an automatic water feeder operatively connected therewith, a casing for said feeder provided with an extension, an overflow control device communicating with said feeder through said extension, a discharge passage and an air passage communicating with saiddevice through said extension, valves con-- trolling said passages, and float controlled means for forcibly operating said valves.

3. In combination with a boiler, an automatic water feeder operatively connected therewith, a

casing for said feeder provided withv an exten-- sion, an overflow control device communicatin with said feeder through said extension, 2. discharge passage and an air passage communicating with said device through said extension, valves controlling said passages, and float controlled means for forcibly operating said valves, said valves and operating means being so arranged that said valves open and close together.

4. In combination with a boiler, an automatic water feeder operatively connected therewith, a casing for said feeder provided with an extension, an overflow control device communicating with said feeder through said extension, a discharge passage and an air passage communicating with said device through said extension, valves controlling said passages, float controlled means for forcibly operating said valves, said valves and operating means being so arranged that said valves open and close together, and a third valve adapted to open and close the communication between said device and said feeder and being so 7 disposed as to open when the other valves are closed and vice versa.

5. In, combination with a boiler, an automatic water feeder operatively connected therewith, a casing for said feeder provided with an extension, an overflow control device communicating with said feeder through said extension, a discharge passage and an air passage communicating with said device through said extension, valves controlling said passages, float controlled means for forcibly operating said valves, said valves and operating means being so arranged that said valves open and close together, and a third valve adapted to open and close the communication between said device and said feeder and being so disposed as to open when the other valves are closed and vice versa, all of said valves being actuated simultaneously and by the same operating means.

6. In combination with a water feeder, a feeder casing having an extension, an overflow device having a casing connected to said extension, an overflow passage through said extension communicating with both said casings, a discharge passage from said overflow device casing through said extension, valves controlling said passages, and float controlled means in said overflow device casing for forcibly actuating said valves to open said first passage and close the second and vice versa. 

